Post: #26

(06-27-2013 01:43 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  Fisto and Qwest, how are you getting your taxes so low on these flights?

Here is my recent Euro flight:

FARE: 799.00 USD
Taxes/Carrier-imposed Fees: 618.20

Total: 1417.20 USD

Almost half in taxes.

----

Also, scotian, don't underestimate the non-direct flights.

Everytime you add a stop, you are talking more lost bags, hassles, re-checking bags (the most retarted thing on earth) etc.

I just had a "one-stop" that cost me an extra 5 hours and a re-route to a less convenient airport.

And this was from a major airport. Expect that tons when Edmonton is your base.

The "taxes" are really bullshit and half of them are just another revenue source for the airlines I'm convinced. If you use a buddy pass on Delta for instance, my friend just last week paid $389 in taxes roundtrip for LAX-NYC. If you are on a "companion pass" the cost is under $100 in "taxes" and if you are "domestic partner" its even less. Basically, the stronger the pass you have the less the taxes are.

I guess if you are paying a full fare ticket you have the highest taxes of them all.

Regarding buddy passes, the taxes have gone up on those recently, so they dont usually make a whole lot of sense unless you are going international. Factor in paying $200-$250 for the pass and then taxes on top of that. Often times you can buy a ticket for the same price. However, a friend of mine used one from LAX-Bangkok around New Years, and he paid about $590 in taxes plus the cost of the buddy pass. He also flew biz class. This was a good deal.

Post: #27

The specifics are probably too detailed to get into, but in the past I've saved thousands of dollars in fuel surcharges using "fuel dumps" booking throwaway segments at the end of my trips. You should google it to find more information, gmanifesto.

Also there are tons of ways to get war chests of miles and points in the US. I'm currently sitting on 1.7 million miles in different accounts and fly international first class and business 2-3x a year on miles.

Post: #28

I had an opportunity to get a buddy pass on United a few months ago and declined. For me, the math didn't make sense. I still would've had to pay taxes of $700+ for LAX-LHR roundtrip, and $900 for LAX-RIO. Then factoring in the burden of not having a confirmed seat was a dealbreaker.

At those prices, you can fly coach if you get a decent fare from travelzoo or wherever. So I saw it as spending $3000 (which is what I was offered it for) to be able to fly Business instead of coach. I also was told I'd have to wear a collared shirt and tie, and couldn't wear jeans. I generally get discounted fares by buying vouchers on craigslist (ie $1000 United voucher for $700) so for me that's a better value.

Post: #29

Buddy pass isn't what we are talking about. The companion status puts you in 1st class or business class if it's available, usually there is room in the handful of times I've flown t so far.

G, I'm not sure how the taxes are so much lower to be honest with you.

Post: #30

If anyone feels like putting as much effort into getting miles, and maximizing freebies from the airlines as they do getting ladies, flyertalk.com forums is where you want to be.

Post: #31

(06-27-2013 06:25 AM)Seadog Wrote:  If anyone feels like putting as much effort into getting miles, and maximizing freebies from the airlines as they do getting ladies, flyertalk.com forums is where you want to be.

I tried to get into flyertalk, but then I realized bashing my head against a wall was more fun.

On a serious note, I presume that the yearly pass couldn't be split among more than one person? For example, I could find another member interested in this and split it?

Post: #32

Fisto I was referring to a companion pass, I used the wrong term, my mistake.

Post: #33

(06-27-2013 05:43 AM)Bolthouse Wrote:  I had an opportunity to get a buddy pass on United a few months ago and declined. For me, the math didn't make sense. I still would've had to pay taxes of $700+ for LAX-LHR roundtrip, and $900 for LAX-RIO. Then factoring in the burden of not having a confirmed seat was a dealbreaker.

At those prices, you can fly coach if you get a decent fare from travelzoo or wherever. So I saw it as spending $3000 (which is what I was offered it for) to be able to fly Business instead of coach. I also was told I'd have to wear a collared shirt and tie, and couldn't wear jeans. I generally get discounted fares by buying vouchers on craigslist (ie $1000 United voucher for $700) so for me that's a better value.

Your #'s are off as LAX-London round trip in true first class is $522 with business being even cheaper. LAX-Rio round trip in first is $337.

No collared shirt necessary and jeans are also fine.

Post: #34

Qwest, I was just relaying what I was told by the person selling me the pass. He was paranoid about looking bad if I wasn't presentable. Clearly your info on this is a lot better than mine.

On another note, how much is LAX-HKG or LAX-PVG?

Post: #35

(06-27-2013 01:43 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  Fisto and Qwest, how are you getting your taxes so low on these flights?

Here is my recent Euro flight:

FARE: 799.00 USD
Taxes/Carrier-imposed Fees: 618.20

Total: 1417.20 USD

Almost half in taxes.

Want to see the Master class on this?

Fuel-dump1ng.

Combining two fares that are supposed to be incompatible that when run through an automated system drops the fuel charges.

This is something I did last year:


Of course this is really way too much of a time sink for the average flyer to bother with.

I will gift 20k US Airways miles to anyone that can beat that price for the same flights around the same days this year.

Post: #36

This is way over my head.

I don't even know what you just did there Vicious.

Post: #37

(06-27-2013 12:22 PM)Vicious Wrote:  Fuel-dump1ng.

Combining two fares that are supposed to be incompatible that when run through an automated system drops the fuel charges.

How much of a difference in price did this make to your trip? I flew LHR -> ORD quite frequently a couple of years ago and found out randomly that adding on an additional leg ORD -> MSP would bring down the price by approx $100. Never had any intention of flying on to MSP but included it in all subsequent trips despite not knowing why it was bringing down the price anyway. I guess fuel dumping was the reason?

Post: #38

If I remember correctly it dropped about $350/person.

Post: #39

(06-27-2013 12:22 PM)Vicious Wrote:  

(06-27-2013 01:43 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  Fisto and Qwest, how are you getting your taxes so low on these flights?

Here is my recent Euro flight:

FARE: 799.00 USD
Taxes/Carrier-imposed Fees: 618.20

Total: 1417.20 USD

Almost half in taxes.

Want to see the Master class on this?

Fuel-dump1ng.

Combining two fares that are supposed to be incompatible that when run through an automated system drops the fuel charges.

This is something I did last year:


Of course this is really way too much of a time sink for the average flyer to bother with.

I will gift 20k US Airways miles to anyone that can beat that price for the same flights around the same days this year.

Post: #40

(06-27-2013 01:52 AM)Qwest Wrote:  

(06-27-2013 01:43 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  Fisto and Qwest, how are you getting your taxes so low on these flights?

Here is my recent Euro flight:

FARE: 799.00 USD
Taxes/Carrier-imposed Fees: 618.20

Total: 1417.20 USD

Almost half in taxes.

----

Also, scotian, don't underestimate the non-direct flights.

Everytime you add a stop, you are talking more lost bags, hassles, re-checking bags (the most retarted thing on earth) etc.

I just had a "one-stop" that cost me an extra 5 hours and a re-route to a less convenient airport.

And this was from a major airport. Expect that tons when Edmonton is your base.

The "taxes" are really bullshit and half of them are just another revenue source for the airlines I'm convinced. If you use a buddy pass on Delta for instance, my friend just last week paid $389 in taxes roundtrip for LAX-NYC. If you are on a "companion pass" the cost is under $100 in "taxes" and if you are "domestic partner" its even less. Basically, the stronger the pass you have the less the taxes are.

I guess if you are paying a full fare ticket you have the highest taxes of them all.

Regarding buddy passes, the taxes have gone up on those recently, so they dont usually make a whole lot of sense unless you are going international. Factor in paying $200-$250 for the pass and then taxes on top of that. Often times you can buy a ticket for the same price. However, a friend of mine used one from LAX-Bangkok around New Years, and he paid about $590 in taxes plus the cost of the buddy pass. He also flew biz class. This was a good deal.

I was telling a member the same exact thing. If you are looking to pay for standby, most connects are 225-300 so flying within a 3000 mile radius isnt worth it. Brazil, Asia, and Europe are worth the pass. Maybe even DR but everything else wihin the states is a no-go.

Now if you are banging an employee, you are the shit.

Post: #41

(06-27-2013 12:22 PM)Vicious Wrote:  

(06-27-2013 01:43 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  Fisto and Qwest, how are you getting your taxes so low on these flights?

Here is my recent Euro flight:

FARE: 799.00 USD
Taxes/Carrier-imposed Fees: 618.20

Total: 1417.20 USD

Almost half in taxes.

Want to see the Master class on this?

Fuel-dump1ng.

Combining two fares that are supposed to be incompatible that when run through an automated system drops the fuel charges.

This is something I did last year:


Of course this is really way too much of a time sink for the average flyer to bother with.

I will gift 20k US Airways miles to anyone that can beat that price for the same flights around the same days this year.

British airways first class from JFK to Britian is 2500. New route sale.

Post: #42

(06-27-2013 02:25 PM)Vicious Wrote:  If I remember correctly it dropped about $350/person.

Nice job on the fuel dump, the only problem I have with them is that you have to fly coach internationally...

Post: #43

(06-27-2013 12:22 PM)Vicious Wrote:  Fuel-dump1ng.

Combining two fares that are supposed to be incompatible that when run through an automated system drops the fuel charges.

Is this adding a stop though?

"Combining two fares that are supposed to be incompatible"

I have no idea what that means.

Post: #44

(06-28-2013 09:43 AM)booshala Wrote:  

(06-27-2013 02:25 PM)Vicious Wrote:  If I remember correctly it dropped about $350/person.

Nice job on the fuel dump, the only problem I have with them is that you have to fly coach internationally...

Yeah, it's too risky trying to upgrade it. These days I don't bother but instead just buy award space or economy seats that I upgrade.

To be honest I think people devote too much time trying to get their plane tix down in cost and then neglect the same diligence on getting their lodging costs down. The latter will usually beat out the former by far.

G, not sure what you mean. It's a trek with 5 nights in NYC and 5 in FL.

Post: #45

It looks like a super convoluted way for that trip, unless I am missing something.

Is the savings there because you took a 1 stop flight to Melbourne from NYC? (Where the hell is Melbourne? Is that a beach town in FL?)

What would have this cost if you would have done a NYC-MIA direct?

This stuff just makes my head spin.

Post: #46

The savings are due to the MVY-EWB trip. Basically I exploited a glitch where that trip expunged the fuel charges on the europe-NYC-FL-europe part of the tirp. I never intended to actually fly the MVY-EWB part.

Anyhow, I don't think I added much value showing this. The time spent finding these so called fuel dump legs are not worth it for 99.99% of all travelelrs.

Post: #47

(06-28-2013 01:48 PM)Vicious Wrote:  The savings are due to the MVY-EWB trip. Basically I exploited a glitch where that trip expunged the fuel charges on the europe-NYC-FL-europe part of the tirp. I never intended to actually fly the MVY-EWB part.

Anyhow, I don't think I added much value showing this. The time spent finding these so called fuel dump legs are not worth it for 99.99% of all travelelrs.

Agreed, fuel dumps are hard to figure out, even if you're well versed in the game.

Post: #48

Fuel dumps are basically found by trial and error. You can literally spend hours playing with the systems to find them. itasoftware.com is made by google which is probably about the most versatile system out there. Again takes a few hours learning what your are doing though. But if you can spend 8 hours trying out different combinations and save a few hundred after tax dollars, isn't it worth it?

An example of fuel dump I found last year was Jakarta-Canada return for one price, but tossing on a Jakarta-New Orleans leg on the end only increased the price $80. Needed to get back to work so couldn't take advantage of the third TransPac leg, but they are out there.

One word of caution though is that on flyer talk there are anecdotes of people going to check in, and the airlines refusing to honour the fare, saying it's clearly an error.

Post: #49

Just get a decent mileage broker. You'll never do it any other way again

Post: #50

(06-28-2013 01:01 PM)Vicious Wrote:  To be honest I think people devote too much time trying to get their plane tix down in cost and then neglect the same diligence on getting their lodging costs down. The latter will usually beat out the former by far.

Exactly. This is an important consideration. Even if you have the increased ability to travel on some sort of standby pass, consider the fact that there are other significant costs associated with travel (lodging, food, transportation, entertainment, incidentals). The more you travel, the more those costs go up. Are you really going to be able to do many trips throughout the year in which you can afford a logistically sound spot in whatever towns you roll through? You're going to really have to plan carefully and ensure that you have the right work and home setup that is conducive to that sort of lifestlye (i.e. renting out your place at home on airbnb when you're not staying there, etc).